Part of the reason I find Wyll to be such a compelling character is that he is such a good person, but in what I think is a kinda unique way.
I've seen a few criticisms of how quickly Wyll seems to switch sides in his initial confrontation with Karlach; how fast he goes from convinced he must kill her to letting her live. For me though, this makes perfect sense.
The decision Wyll makes in that confrontation not actually whether or not to kill her; he has to decide whether or not Karlach is innocent, but once he's confirmed that, it's not a question.
He commits so quickly to Karlach because he doesn't have to choose whether or not to kill her in that moment; he already decided seven years ago.
Because at seventeen years old, he decided he would sacrifice anything for the safety of others.
At seventeen years old he decided that his own life, comfort and happiness was never worth the cost of someone else's.
And so at twenty-four, he learns the devil he's been chasing is a person, and a victim, and an innocent, and the decision is already made up.
Because Wyll Ravenguard at twenty-four is who he was at seventeen, and twenty, and ten.
And to me that's one of the coolest things about him.
There's a separate post I'd like to make about how Wyll never loses his childhood wonder of the world- and I think there's a very similar principle here. Wyll grew up hearing stories of knights who slay monsters and heros in shining armor, and he took those stories and loved them and held them close to his chest.
And then he's seventeen and a devil asked him if he wants to be a hero, and he's not an idiot; he understands the price of saviourhood so he says yes.
And so when he meets Karlach, it's never really a question of if he'll kill her. It's just a matter of him finding the courage.
Because he says "you don't know what you're asking of me" and he's absolutely right, we don't. But Wyll understands the cost; he's understood it for seven years. I'll bet anything that when Wyll Ravenguard made his pact with a devil to save tens of thousands of souls, he promised himself and his city and his father who wouldn't listen that he'd only ever use his pact to help and be good, and when it comes down to it, he sticks to his word.
Because above all, Wyll Ravenguard is a man who knows who his is and what he beliefs, and who sticks to his principles no matter what, and for me that's incredibly compelling.
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